Steering gear



March 12, 1935. L M QR 1,9@35921 Filed Jan. 19, 193i Patented Mar. .12,1935 f UNITED-STATES STEERING GEAR `lames lvl. and Edwin G. Sprung,(Detroit, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Delaware Mich., a corporation of Application January 19, 1934, Seria-lNo. 707,305

solai'ms.

"I'his invention relates to motor vehicles and 'more particularly toyimprovements in steering gear for vroad vehicles.

The invention aims to reduce the ltransmission of vibration and roadshock to the steering wheel and to cushion forces which would otherwiseimpose strains on the steering column assembly and to this endcontemplates a resilient mounting of the steering column assembly on thechassis frame. The cushion mounting is such as to provide a constructionwhich is both simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture andinstall, and which frees the steering mechanism from the effects offrame vibration and road Wheel reaction.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation ofa motor vehicle showing a flexibly mounted chassis frame and thesteering mechanism associated therewith; Figure 2 is a top plan view ofthe lower end of the steering column looking down on line 2--2 of Figure1 with parts in section; Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 ofFigure 2 with parts broken away; Figure 4 is a sectional view taken online 4-4 of Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of aretainer cup forming a part of the resilient mounting.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 indil cates a longitudinalmember of the chassis frame supported through a flexible spring 2 onroad wheels 3,` swiveled at the front end of the frame. The swiveledwheels are connected through suitable steering linkage, including thedrag bar 4, connected at its rear end to a swinging pitman arm 5. to arockshaft 6 extending through the chassis frame member 1 with a bearingin a hollow frame bracket 7 and into the gear housing 8 at the lower endof the steering column. Extending upwardly from the gear housing 8 is asteering vshaft 9 provided at its upper end with a hand wheel 10 andenclosed within a tubular housing 11. For steadying the upper end of thesteering column assembly, a bracket 12 may be employed to clamp the postto the instrument panel 13 or other suitable part of the vehicle body.

In order to mount the lower end of the steer-l ing column upon thechassis frame, there is provided the mounting bracket 7, previouslyreferred to, and which is securely bolted to the gear housing 8 andcarries at its end an outwardly extending liange 14, the side edges ofwhich are divergently disposed as shown in Figure 3. Anchorage studs 15pass through enlarged open ended slots 16 in the plate or flange Theswinging arm 5 is xed or keyed (or. 28o- 87) r 14 adjacent the divergentedges and rigidly secure to the framemember 1ra pair of cupped stampings17 providing oppositely disposed pockets to receive the opposite edgesof the plate 14. To prevent metal to metal contact between the steeringgear and the chassis frame, and accommodate limited relative movementbetween the plate 14 and the pins 15 passing through the slottedopenings in the plate, it is proposed to insert within the pocket-provided by the frame cooperating stamping 17, a body 18 of rubber orother elastic deformable cushioning material, which may be in the formof a glove fitted to the sides of the plate 14 over the divergent endsthereof.

If desired, the rubber glove 18 may be molded and vulcanized to eitheror both the plate 14 and the stamping 17. Furthermore, in order toincrease the life of the parts and provide a wear resistant surface, therubber may be so formed as to be tougher or denser in the base portionthereof that engages the edge of the flange, or as an alternative, thisportion of the rubber may have embedded therein fabric cords 19 as shownin the drawing.

An outwardly extending boss or dome 20 on the wall of the stamp boss 1'7is preferably provided between the bolt openings to stiften andreinforce the same and to provide interiorly thereof la locating recessinto which the body of rubber 18 may extend. To further reinforce thestamping, an outturned ange 21 may be formed along its inner edge.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is afforded asimple resilient mounting which avoids necessity for extensive changesin conventional and existing structure and which in use serves to freethe steering column from frame vibration and shock, and also fromdamaging strains transmitted from the road wheels fiexibly supportingthe frame, to the steering column assembly mounted on the frame.

While the invention has been described more or less specically it willbe understood that. only one embodiment is illustrated and that variousmodifications may be made.

We claim;-

1. A road vehicle having steerable wheels, a chassis frame fiexiblymounted on the wheels, a steering column assembly having a drag linkconnection with the wheels, and a cushion mounting between the chassisframe and steering column assembly. l

2. In combination, a steering column mounting bracket having anoutwardly extending wall,

a non-metallic deformable glove fitted to the wall, a support for thebracket engaging one side of said glove, a clamp plate engaging theopposite side of the glove, and securing means fastening said plate tothe support and passing loosely through enlarged openings therefor inthe wall of the bracket.

3. In combination with a chassis frame member and a steering columnmounting plate, of an elastic cushion embracing said plate having theportion thereof engaging the periphery of the plate relatively tougherthan the remainder thereof, and means securing the cushion to the framemember.

4. In combination With a chassis frame member and a steering columnmounting plate, of a device secured to the frame member and providing apocket to receive the plate, a rubber insulation member enclosed by thepocket and extending along both sides and across the end of the plate,and fabric cords embedded in the rubber. at the end of the plate.

5. In a road vehicle, a chassis frame member,

a steering column assembly extending upwardly from said member into thevehicle body compartment and having a gear housing at its lower end, amounting bracket extending laterally of the housing and terminating inan outwardly extending flange, a pair of oppositely disposed recessedmembers cooperating with the frame member to provide pockets whichreceive said flange, fastening bolts joining said members and passingloosely through openings in the flange, and non-metallic deformablematerial contained within the pockets in embracing relation with theflange.

6. In a-road Vehicle, a chassis frame member, a steering column assemblyextending upwardly from said member and having a gear housing at itslower end, a mounting bracket rigid with said housing, means securingthe bracket 'to the frame member, and rubber insulation interposedbetween said bracket and frame member.

JAMES M. CRAWFORD. EDWIN G. SPRUNG.

